SOUTHWEST--Mount Airy * Woodbine * Taylorsville * Winfield

Firefighters from the Winfield, Sykesvile and Gamber spent an hour and 17 minutes Saturday night putting out a chimney fire on the 5000 block of Bushey Road.

The fire, which began about 10:43 p.m., had cracked the flue liners but there was no damage to the two-story farm house, said Winfield's chief, Tim Warner.

"The chimney was really clogged and there was a lot of fire in the chimney," he said. "We had to drag it with chains several times and removed a wood stove insert."

Mr. Warner also said it took a bit longer to put out the blaze because firefighters used chemical extinguishing agents, not water to put out a chimney fire. Using water might damage the chimney, he said.

Mount Airy hangs up on rude phone callers

Warning to obnoxious anonymous phone callers in Mount Airy: The Town Hall staff has permission to hang up on you.

The Town Council last Monday endorsed Mayor Gerald R. Johnson's directive to town employees to hang up on obnoxious callers who decline to give their names.

The mayor told the council that employees have been subject to obnoxious calls in recent weeks. The callers have declined to identify themselves.

"Unless they identify themselves, my staff will just hang up on them," the mayor said.

Council President R. Delaine Hobbs said he has received similar phone calls when controversial issues have come before the council.

"It's not necessary to take that abuse," he said.

FIRE

* Mount Airy: Mount Airy was called to help Frederick County on a chimney fire on Detrick Road at 4:34 p.m. Saturday. Units were out for 14 minutes.

* Winfield: Units from Winfield and Mount Airy helped Howard County put out a house fire on Weller Road at 4:37 a.m. Saturday. Units were out of service for 30 minutes.

Winfield, Sykesville and Gamber responded to a house fire on Stone House Village Road at 10:45 a.m. Friday. Units were out of service for 17 minutes.

* Mount Airy: Mount Airy filled in for Winfield, which was out at a fatal accident on Old Liberty Road, for about three and one-half hours starting at 5:39 a.m. Friday.

Firefighters from Mount Airy assisted Frederick County for a house fire on Skyview Road at 10:53 on Thursday.

* Winfield: Winfield and Mount Airy helped Howard County for a chimney fire in a house on Loretta Drive. The 1:22 p.m. alarm on Thursday kept equipment out of service for 52 minutes.

* Mount Airy: Mount Airy helped Frederick County on a fire alarm sounding in a building on Glissens Mill Road at 2:41 p.m. Thursday. The units were out of service for 28 minutes.

* Berrett: Winfield, Sykesville and Lisbon responded to a house fire on Fannie Dorsey Road at 6:09 p.m. Thursday. They were out for 24 minutes.